An x-ray tube directs x-rays at an intended target in order to produce an x-ray image. To produce x-rays, the x-ray tube receives large amounts of electrical energy. However, only a small fraction of the electrical energy transferred to the x-ray tube is converted within an evacuated enclosure of the x-ray tube into x-rays, while the majority of the electrical energy is converted to heat. If excessive heat is produced in the x-ray tube, the temperature may rise above critical values, and various portions of the x-ray tube may be subject to thermally-induced deforming stresses. Such thermally-induced deforming stresses may produce leaks in the evacuated enclosure of the x-ray tube, which thereby limits the operational life of the x-ray tube.
For example, the portion of the evacuated enclosure positioned between the cathode and the anode of the x-ray tube is particularly susceptible to excessive heat and thermally-induce deforming stresses. In particular, this portion of the evacuated enclosure may be excessively heated by backscatter electrons.
In addition to increasing the likelihood of a vacuum leaks, the heat produced during x-ray tube operation may also result in the boiling of a liquid coolant in which the x-ray tube is at least partially submerged and that is in direct contact with the x-ray tube window. This boiling of the liquid coolant may result in detrimental fluctuations in the attenuation in the x-rays as they pass through the boiling liquid on their way to the intended target. This detrimental x-ray attenuation fluctuation of the x-rays may cause defects in the resulting x-ray images of the target, which may result, for example, in a misdiagnosis of a patient being x-rayed.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.